If bar crawls and green food dye aren't features of your ideal St. Patrick's Day celebration, try a laid-back boozed and infused menu that shows off the versatile taste of whiskey. Although we're technically not using Irish whiskey exclusively, it's the spirit of the celebration — not the details — that matter.

Spinach Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Bourbon Vinaigrette

Spinach Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Bourbon Vinaigrette

Your first clue that this is not your typical salad was that it contains both bacon and bourbon, two things rarely associated with healthy eating. Incorporated in this dish, they turn humdrum health food into an indulgent dinner you'll look forward to.

Spinach Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Bourbon Vinaigrette

Your first clue that this is not your typical salad was that it contains both bacon and bourbon, two things rarely associated with healthy eating. Incorporated in this dish, they turn humdrum health food into an indulgent dinner you'll look forward to.

Barley Soup with Scotch

You have Frédéric Morin to thank for this luscious risotto-style soup; the idea came to him while he was sitting on a combine in his uncle's barley field. He could smell the peat from the neighboring farm, which reminded him of Scotch whisky.

Braised Brisket with Bourbon-Peach Glaze

Following a quick sear on the stovetop, this beef cooks low and slow in the oven to ensure fork-tender results. An earthy cinnamon-paprika rub balances the richness of the fruit glaze, which is accented with a punch of bourbon.

Double Bourbon-Pecan Pudding

Don't let this dessert's innocent looks fool you: it may look like a lunchbox feature of your childhood, but there's bourbon folded into both the chocolate and whipped cream layers for a doubly indulgent treat.